What we know so far about the Spain train crash

At least 39 people have died and dozens more have been injured after two high-speed trains collided in southern Spain, the country’s Civil Guard has said.

The accident near the city of Córdoba, in southern Spain, has been described by local officials as Spain’s worst rail crash in more than a decade.

Here’s what we know about the crash so far.

The crash occurred at around 19:45 local time (18:45 GMT) on Sunday, about an hour after one of the trains departed Málaga for Madrid.

The train derailed and crossed over to the opposite track, operator Adif said.

It then collided with an oncoming train travelling from south from Madrid to Huelva, which was forced into an embankment running alongside the track, Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente said on Sunday.

The majority of those killed and injured were in the front carriages of the Huelva-bound train, he added.

What caused the train to derail remains unclear.

Officials say an investigation has been launched but it is not expected to determine what happened for at least a month

Puente has described the crash as “extremely strange” and said all the railway experts consulted by the government “are extremely baffled by the accident”.

There were around 400 passengers and staff on the two trains, operated by Iryo and Alvia, according to a statement from state-owned rail operator Renfe.

It is not clear if there are people still trapped inside the carriages but rescue teams are on site.

“The problem is that the carriages are twisted, so the metal is twisted with the people inside,” Francisco Carmona, head of firefighters in Córdoba, told Spanish public broadcaster RTVE.

“We have even had to remove a dead person to be able to reach someone alive. It is hard, tricky work,” he added.

The 39 victims of the crash have not yet been identified, with Puente saying the death toll “is not yet final” as investigations begin into the crash.

As of Monday morning, 112 people had received medical assistance, 48 of whom remain hospitalised, local emergency services said.

Among the 48 victims still in hospital:

• Five are underage, including one who is in intensive care
• Eleven adults are also in intensive care